Feeding and band-cutting mechanism.



No. 720,846. PATENTED- FEB. 17, 1903..

E. s. RIGIL I FEEDING AND BA E CUTTING MECHANISM.

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No. 720,846, PATENTED FEB. 17, 1903.

P. S. RIUH.

FEEDING AND BAND CUTTING MECHANISM.

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NIT. 720,846. 'PAQENTED FEB. 17, 1903.

F. s. RICH.

' FEEDING AND BAND CUTTING MECHANISM.

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No. 720,846. PATENTED FEB. 1?, 1903.

v 1-". s. RICH. FEEDING AND BAND CUTTING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 30, 1902. 7

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UNITED V STATES FREDERICK s. RICH, or MARION, OHIO.

resume AND BAND-CUTTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,846, dated February 17, 1903. Application filed April 30, 1902- Serial No. 105,258 (No model.)

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S- RICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mar,- ion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful improvement in Feeding and Band-Cutting Mechanism, of which the following is-a specification.

My invention relates particularly to feeding and band-cutting mechanism for threshing-machines employing a sheaf-conveyer and means for automatically regulating the speed of said conveyor.

My primary object is to provide feeding and band-cutting mechanism of improved general construction, particular attention being paid to the centrifugal governor by means of which the sheaf-conveyor is initially started after thethreshing-cylinder has attained a predetermined speed, the construction of the friction-clutch operated by tripping mechanism extending into the path of the grain being fed to the machine, the construction of the band-cutting mechanism, the construction of the sheaf-conveyor frame, and the ad- 3' ustment of the rotary band-cutter employed.

In the preferred construction there are employed a sheaf-conveyor frame, an endless sheaf conveyer having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined rear portion, a vertically-adjustable rotary band'cutter located in front of the ridge of the sheaf-conveyor, a series of combined band-cutters and feeding devices moving in cycles above the rear portion of the sheaf-conveyor, belt connection between the threshing-cylinder and the rotary band-cutter, a quadruple-crank shaft for operating the combined band-cutting and feeding devices above mentioned, a centrifugal governor controlling the transmission of motion from the rotary band-cutter shaft to said crank-shaft, a suitably-journaled pinion operated from said crank-shaft and serving to actuate a gear journaled on the drivingshaft of the endless conveyor, and a frictionclutch coiiperating with said gear and controlled by tripping mechanism extending to the path of the grain carried by the conveyer and operating when moved by a surplus of grain to lessen the speed of. or stop the conveyor.

My invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 represents a view of the righthand side of feeding and bandcutling mechanism attached to the front end of a threshing-machine; Fig. 2, a view of the left side of the same Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 4, a broken view in side elevation, illustrating means for adjusting the hearings of the rotary band-cutter; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the same parts separated; Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the conveyer-frame folded; Fig. 7, a broken perspective view showing the hinges of'the conveyor-frame; Fig. 8, a section taken as indicated atline 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9, an enlarged broken section taken as indicated at line 9 of Fig. 2 and showing the trip-controlled friction-clutch; Fig. 10, aview in side elevation, showing a portion of the trip mechanism; Fig. 11, a perspective view of a rock-shaft and rock-arm employed in connection with the trip mechanism; Fig. 12, an enlarged broken section taken as indicated at line 12 of Fig. 2 and showing the governor connected with the rotary band-cutter shaft; Figs. 13 and 14, sections taken as indicated at the corresponding lines of Fig. 12, and Fig. 15 a broken section at line 15 of Fig. 13.

: A represents the front portion of a threshing-machine; A, a threshing-cylinder journaled therein and equipped with a drivingpulley A and a transmission-pulley A A a concave coacting with the cylinder A; A, the usual reciprocating grain-pan; B, a fixed frame firmly secured to the front portion of the threshing-machine and constituting a portion of a conveyor-frame; B, a conveyorframe section pivotally connected with the frame-section B; B a conveyer-frame section pivotally connected with the section B, said last-nam ed two frame-sections being normally supported in the extended position by rods B connected with the upper portions of the sides of the frame B B, a divider-board detachably secured at its front end to the front end of the frame-section B by means of a connection B and attached at its rear end to an arm 13, pivotally secured to a stationary bracket 13', carried by the frame B; C, an endless sheaf-conveyor passing at its front ICO and rear portions over shafts C respectively, and near its rear portion over upper and lower shafts 0 0; D, aband-cutter shaft equipped at one end with a pulley I) and at the opposite end with a governor D D a belt connecting the pulley A with the pulley D and serving to communicate motion to the shaft D; D knives carried by the shaft D; D Figs. 4, 5, and 12, plates secured to the front portions of the sides of the frame 13; D bearing-brackets adjustably connected with the plates D D bearings for the shaft D, supported by the bracket D D Fig. 3, bandknife guards carried by a transverse bar D supported by projections D on the brackets D; D Figs. 1, 2, and 4, links connected with the brackets D and serving in their adjustment; D, a rock-shaft equipped at one end with an adjusting-lever D and at the opposite end with an arm D, said lever and arm being connected with the links D; E, a quad- -ruple-crank shaft equipped at one end with a pulley E, receiving motion from the shaftD through the medium of a belt E connected with the device D E an eccentric on the opposite end of the shaft E and serving to actuate an eccentric-rod E; E a series of similar combined band-cutting and feeding devices mounted on cranks of the shaft E; F, Fig. 3, a transversely-extending rock-shaft equipped with grain-actuated trip-arms F, projecting downwardly to within a short distance of the rear portion of the conveyor O; F Fig. 11, an arm fixedly secured to the shaft F; F, a lever pivoted on the shaft F and adjustably connected at one end with the arm F F Figs. 2 and 10, a rod connected .with the free end of the lever F G, Fig. 2, a combined sprocket-wheel and pinion journaled on a stud G and connected bya link belt G with the shaft E; H, Fig. 9, a gear journaled on one end of the shaft and meshing with the pinion G; H, a friction member slidably mounted on the shaft and coacting with the gear H, with which it is held in driving contact by a spring H H a bell-crank lever pivotally supported on a bracket H I, Fig. 3, a fixed baflle-board located above the cylinder A and provided with a depending pivoted baffle-board I, and J, Fig. 1, a rock-shaft provided with an arm J, connected with the rod E and serving to actuate the grain-pan or feeding-pan A The frame-section Bis provided at its front portion with vertical side cleats a, to which the plates D are secured. The plates D are provided with forwardly projecting threaded studs a, and the brackets D are provided with vertical slots aiwhich receive said studs,

the brackets D being slidably held in place by nuts a Said brackets D are provided at their lower ends with outwardly-projecting studs a with which the upper ends of the links D pivotally connect. The brackets D are provided with forwardly-projecting fixed points a and forwardly-projecting curved arms a, carrying adjustable points a The bearings D for the shaft D are secured by the points a a as shown in Fig. 4. The frame B is equipped with a toothed segment I), Fig. 1, with which the lever D is connected. It readily will be understood that by this arrangement the brackets 1) may be readily adjusted vertically. The section B of the conveyer-frame has side members I), Fig. 7, pivotally connected at b with the lower corners of the frame-section B. The members b have shoulders 5 which engage corresponding shoulders of the frame-section B and prevent the section B from swinging below a given point. The rear upper corners of the members I) are cut away at b to permit the section B to be swung upwardly somewhat, as indicated in Fig. 6. Connected with the members b by means of bolt-andspring connection 19 are yielding members I), having outwardly-inclined flanges 19 which project normally, Fig.8, over the upper edges of the members 12'. Connected with the rear vertical edges of the sides of the frame-section B are members 5 which flare forwardly and outwardly, as shown. The lower portions of the members 6 embrace the upper edges of the members If, so that when the frame-section B is swung upwardly the members b are pressed inwardly, the yielding connections described permitting this movement. The frame-section B has side members 1) b corresponding with the members b b. The members 1) are equipped with hinge members b, and the members I) are equipped with hinge members b, said members b b being connected by horizontal pivots Z7 The members b 6 are provided with lugs in vertical alinement with each other and having perforations substantially perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor-frame, said perforations serving to receive springheld lockingpins I), having normally forwardly-turned ends 11 The members I) are equipped with lugs 19 which serve to hold the pins Z9 retracted when said pins are drawn downwardly and turned through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, so as to occupy the position of the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The construction of the so-called speedgovernor or centrifugal-conveyer starter D is shown in detail in Figs. 12 to l4,inclusive. It comprises a pulley d, journaled on the shaft D adjacent to the corresponding bearing D Fig. 12, a sleeve (1, fixed to rotate with the shaft D and provided at its inner end with a head or flange al a friction member d slidably mounted on the sleeve (1 and provided with slots (1 an inturned flange d having a female cone friction-surface (Z and provided, further, with angular perforations al which receive lugs d with which the outer surface of the head 01 is equipped, levers 61 provided with books or inturned points d engaging the inner surface of the head (1 and pivotally supported on the member 01 at points d, weights (Z connected with the outer ends of the levers d springs d seated in sockets d of the member (Z and passing through perforations (Z of the member d and tension-adjusting screws al connected with lugs d on the hub of the member (1 As shown, the pulley d has an outwardly-projecting flange d1 provided with a conical surface which coacts with the conical surface of the friction member d It will be understood that when the parts are in their assembled position motion can be communicated from the shaft D through the member 61 to the member d \Vhen the member (1 acquires a given speed, the weights are thrown outwardly, thereby forcing the member 01 inwardly and frictionally connecting it with the pulley d. After the pulley d is set in motion it serves to communicate motion to the shaft E, operating the combined band-cutting and feeding deviccsE The devices E comprise levers e, pivoted on the cranks of the shaft E, which are four in number, forwardly and upwardly curved arms 6, connected with the lower ends of the arms 6, serrated knives e carried by the arms 6, and links e connecting the upper ends of the levers c with the upper portion of the baffle-plate I. The direction of rotation is such as to give to the knives a downward, rearward, upward, and forward motion, each knife of a given set following a different path or cycle, as is evident. Located between the members E 'are rearwardly-curved guards c ,attached at their upper ends to the top of the frame-section B.

The rock-shaft F may be equipped with any number of trip-arms F, it being practically essential, however, that there be one of said arms on each side of the divider-board B The arms have rearwardly-curved lower extremities f, located directly above the ridge of the conveyor, as shown in Fig. 3. shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the lever F has a free arm f, provided with a perforation f which receives the upper extremity of the rod F Above the arm f the rod F is equipped with a nutf and a springf, afiording an adjustable tensioning device.

The shaft C is equipped, Fig. 9, with a collar h, which confines the gear H against movement in one direction, so that when the spring H acts unrestrainedly it forces the conical friction member H into engagement with the corresponding friction surface with which the gear H is provided, so that motion can be transmitted from the gear H through the member H to the shaft C It will be understood from Fig. 3 that when the trip-arms F are pressed rearwardly by an excess of grain the arm f, Fig. 2, is swung upwardly,thereby elevating the rod F and actuating the bellcrank H Fig. 9, in a direction to disengage the member H from the gear H.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description: Motion is transmitted from the pulley A of the threshing-cylinder to the shaft D by means of the belt D \Vhen the threshing-cylinder attains the requisite speed, the shaft D is driven at a sufficient speed to cause the centrifugal governor to act, thereby setting the pulley d in motion and starting the shaft E and the shaft 0 Thus the conveyor 0 is set in motion, andwhen the bundles of grain are placed thereon they are carried beneath the rotating knives D and up over the ridge of the conveyor at (3 where they are engaged by the combined cutting and feeding knives of the devices E which coact with the rear portion of the conveyor and the reciprocating feed-pan A to feed the grain to the cylinder A. ridge at C the arms F are moved, thereby rocking the shaft F and relieving the frictional contact between the gear H and the member H, thereby reducing the speed of the shaft 0 or in an emergency stopping said shaft. The bathe-plates I I act to prevent the straw from crowding up in above the cylinder, and the pi votally-supported baffle-plate 1 allows a certain yielding and prevents aircurrents from the cylinder from interfering with the feeding.

When desired, the divider-board B may be disconnected from the clip B and swung upwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 6. The locking-pins b may be moved to disconnect the upper portions of the hinge members I) from the corresponding portions of the hinge members Z1 after which the carrierframe may be flexedby lifting upwardly at the pivots 17 thus permitting the section B to be swung under the section B, as shown in Fig. 6, where it is secured by chains It, as shown. From Fig. 6 it will be observed that after the conveyer-frame is folded the rods B act in lines falling'in the rear of the pivots Z7 During the operation of folding the members b of the frame-section B yield, as explained, by reason of their engagement with the oblique surfaces of the members 13 It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes in details of construction within the spirit of my invention may be made.v Hence no undue limitation should be understood from the foregoing detailed description.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In means of the character described, the combination with arotary cylinder and a conveyer for delivering grain to said cylinder, of power-transmission means .connecting said cylinder and conveyor, including a driven shaft, a pulley journaled thereon provided with a friction-surface, a friction member rotated by said shaft and movable longitudinally thereof,-a fulcrum carried by said shaft, a lever pivoted between its ends on said friction member and acting upon said fulcrum, and a weight connected with said lever, for the purpose set forth.

If an excess of grain is carried up to the q 2. In means of the character described, the

combination with a rotary cylinder and a conveyer for supplying grain to said cylinder, of

power-transmission means connecting said cylinder and conveyer, including a driven shaft, a pulley journaled thereon and provided with an outturned friction-flange, a fulcrum member secured on said shaft, a friction member movable longitudinally of saidshaft and provided with an inturned frictionfiange, levers carried by said lastnamed member and engaging said fulcrum, and weights connected with said levers, for the purpose set forth.

3. In means'of the character described, the combination of a rotary cylinder, a rotary band-cutter having a shaft driven from said cylinder, a conveyer for delivering grain to the cylinder, a crank-shaft in the rear of said band-cutter shaft and actuated from said band-cutter shaft, feeding and cutting devices actuated by said crank-shaft, and means for transmitting motion from said crank-shaft to said conveyer, including a trip-relieved clutch, for the purpose set forth.

4. In means of the character described, the combination with a rotary threshing-cylinder and a conveyer for delivering grain thereto, of a rotary band-cutter actuated from said cylinder, a revolving crank-shaft carrying a combined feeding and cutting device above the path of the grain and actuated from said rotary band-cutter shaft and equipped with edged blades,.and actuating means for said conveyer, for the purpose set forth.

5. In means of the character described, the combination with a threshing-cylinder and an endless conveyer equipped with a drivingshaft, of a rotary band-cutter located above said conveyer and actuated from said cylinder, a centrifugal governor connected with said band-cutter, a rotary crank-shaft, devices equipped with edged blades and carried by said crank-shaft for engaging the grain from above, means for transmitting motion from said governor to said crank-shaft,

and means for transmitting motion from said crank-shaft to the driving-shaft of said conveyer, including a trip relieved frictionclutch, for the purpose set forth.

6. In means of the character described, the combination of a rotary cylinder, a rotary band-cutter, a centrifugal governor connected with said band-cutter, a crank-shaft carrying grain-engaging devices, a pinion actuated from said crank-shaft, a gear meshing with said pinion, an endless conveyer having a driving-shaft upon which said gear is journaled, a friction member operated from said gear, and tripping mechanism connected with said friction member, for the purpose set forth.

7. In means of the character described, the combination with a rotary cylinder and an endless conveyer provided with a drivingshaft, of power-transmission mechanism connecting said driving-shaft with said cylinder, including a gear journaled on said shaft, a friction member movable longitudinally with relation to said shaft and serving to communicate motion thereto, a spring holding said friction member in engagement with said gear, a bell-crank lever serving to shift said friction member, a transverse rock-shaft, a trip-arm connected therewith, an arm rigidly secured to one end of said rock-shaft, a lever journaled on said rock-shaft and adjustably connected at one end with said last-named arm, and a rod connecting said bell-cranklever with the free end of said adjustablelever, for the purpose set forth.

8. In means of the character described, the combination of a rotary cylinder equipped at one end with a pulley, a rotary band-cutter equipped at the corresponding end with a pulley connected with said first-named pulley, a centrifugal governor at the opposite end of said band-cutter comprising a friction member fixed to rotate with the rotary cutter, a loosely-journaled pulley provided with a friction-surface, and weight-actuated levers for bringing said friction members together, a rotary crank-shaft equipped with a pulley, a belt connecting said last-named two pulleys, grain-engaging means connected with said crank-shaft, an endless conveyer provided with a driving-shaft, a gear journaled on said driving-shaft, trip-relieved friction means normally engaging said gear, and a pinion meshing with said gear and driven from said crank-shaft, all said parts being arranged and operating substantially as described.

9. In means of the character described, the combination with a rotary cylinder and an endless conveyer for feeding grain to said cylinder, of power-transmission means connecting said conveyer with said cylinder, including a driving-shaft, a pulley journaled upon said shaft and confined against movement longitudinally in one direction, a sleeve secured to said shaft and provided adjacent to said pulley With a head, a friction member slidable on said sleeve and connected to rotate with said sleeve and serving to frictionally engage said pulley, levers pivotally mounted on said friction member and provided at their inner ends with hooks engaging the head of said sleeve, and Weights connected with the outer ends of said levers, for the purpose set forth.

10. In means of the character described, the combination of a rotary cylinder, an endless conveyer having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front portion and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear portion, a rotary band-cutter in front of the ridge of said conveyer, a crank-shaft adjacent to the rear portion of the conveyer, combined band-cutting and feeding knives carried by levers mounted on said crank-shaft, links connecting the free ends of the said levers with a stationary part and means for transmitting motion from -said cylinder to said rotary band-cutter, said crank-shaft and said endless conveyer, for the purpose set forth.

11. In means of the character described, the

combination of a rotary cylinder, an endless conveyer having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front portion and a rearwardly and downwardly inclined rear portion, of powertransmission means connecting said conveyor with said cylinder, including trip-relieved clutch mechanism, comprising a clutch member connected with the driving-shaft of said conveyor and serving to impart motion directly thereto, a clutch member journaled on said driving-shaft, and means for shifting one of said members with relation to the other and having a trip provided with a triparm extending to near the ridge in said conveyor, for the purpose set forth.

12. In means of the character described, the combination of a rotary cylinder, an endless conveyer and a conveyer-frame comprising a fixed section, a section pivotally connected with said first-named section and capable of swinging upwardly, a section pivotally connected with said last-named section and capable of swinging downwardly, yielding side members for said first-named pivotally-supported section and obliquely-extending side members connected with said stationary section and coacting with said yielding side members in the manner set forth.

13. In means of the character described, a conveyor-frame havinga fixed section, a short section pivotally connected therewith and capable of swinging upwardly, a front section pivotally connected with said secondnamed section and capable of swinging downwardly with relation thereto, and spring-held lockingpins for connecting said swinging sectionstogether in the extended position.

let. In means of the character described, the combination with a threshing-cylinder and an endless conveyer having a transverse ridge and leading upwardly from the front of the apparatus to said ridge and downwardly from said ridge in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, of trip-arms located above the conveyor and adjacent to the ridge therein, for the purpose described, and swinging feeding and cutting devices between the trip-arms and the threshing-cylinder and located above and cooperating with the downwardly-inclined section of the conveyor, the whole being arranged tooperate substantially as described.

15. In means of the character described,the combination with a threshing-cylinder and an endless conveyor having a ridge and presenting a forward section upwardly inclined and a rear section downwardly inclined in the direction of the threshing-cylinder, and means for constantly driving said conveyer, of triparms for the purpose described connected with the conveyor driving mechanism to re lease the same when required, and swinging feeding-arms located above and cooperating with the rear section of the conveyor to advance the grain after it has passed the triparms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth,

16. In'means of the character described, the combination with a rotary cylinder and an endless conveyor passing about suitably-journaled shafts and serving to feed grain to said cylinder, and comprising a rearwardly and upwardly inclined front portion and a rearwardly and downwardly inclined rear portion, of a rotary band-cutter located at a distance above the frontportion of said conveyer topermit the grain to pass beneath it and provided at one end of its shaft with a speed-governor, a crank-shaft journaled above the rear portion of said conveyor and geared to said governor, and swinging combination feeding and cutting devices equipped with edged blades and carried by said crank-shaft and serving to engage the grain on the rear portion of said conveyer, for the purpose set forth.

17. In means of the character described, the combination of a threshing-cylinder and an endless conveyer having a transverse ridge and leading upwardly from the front of the apparatus to said ridge and downwardly from said ridge in the direction of the threshingcylinder, a trip-arm located above the con-.

veyer and adjacent to the ridge therein, for the purpose described, a rotary band-cutter coacting with the front portion of said conveyer, swinging feeding devices between the trip-arms and the threshing-cylinders and located above and cooperating with the downwardly-inclined portion of the conveyer, and driving connections between the several devices, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as described.

FREDERICK S. RICH.

In presence of- ALBERT D. Bnoor, W. B. DAVIES. 

